Live Chat - Brent Sancho and TTFF offical press officer Shaun FuentesTimbers defender Brent Sancho will be answering the T&T fans (and a few Timbers fans maybe?) questions in a live chat room session, this Sunday, 23rd, Dec, 2001 at 7:00pm T&T time (6:00pm EST, that's 3pm Portland time), to talk a little about the Mickey Trotman game* and more.

[*The first annual Mickey Trotman Memorial Football Match and Fun-Day takes place on Boxing Day at the Felix Ferreira Recreation Ground, Pinto Road, Arima.
The foreign-based team including Brent Rahim, Brent Sancho, Ansil Elcock, Darren Lewis, Kevin Jeffreys and Reynold Carrington will take on Arima-based team Cool It with all proceeds going to the Trotman family.
Cool It includes Arnold Dwarika, Angus Eve, Gary Glasgow, Nigel Pierre and Kerwyn "Hardest" Jemmott. Late Soca Warrior Trotman and his brother Stephan were killed in a vehicular accident in October.]

Timbers Release Darren SawatzkyDarren, who is currently playing indoor for the Kansas City Comets, has been released by the Timbers today.

This from the press release:

“We sincerely appreciate the many contributions that Darren made to the Timbers last season,” said Timbers head coach Bobby Howe. “He’s about as tireless a competitor as you’ll ever want to meet. We wish him well.”
Sawatzky was Portland’s third-leading scorer last year with six goals and five assists for 17 points in helping lead the Portland Timbers to the quarterfinals of the A-League playoffs.

"Being a part of the Portland soccer community again was an incredible experience during the inaugural year of the Portland Timbers,” said Sawatzky. “I would like to thank Portland Family Entertainment for bringing me in to be part of the Timbers and for bringing professional soccer back to Portland. I wish everyone in the organization the best of luck in all of their future endeavors."

The educated feet of Michael O'Neill get another goal for Clydebank to put the Bankies further ahead at the top of the Scottish Second Div. Looks like Tony McPeak is also keeping his eye in this winter playing alongside his Timbers teammate.

By: Shaun Fuentes.
Brent Sancho is likely to go to Europe for trials later this year or in January.
The former Joe Public man has attracted interest from Swiss giants FC Zurich and the club is keen to have a look at him. He has also received offers from clubs in Portugal and Belgium.
"I'm supposed to be going to Europe for a couple try-outs but I can't say much about the clubs in Portugal or Belgium as yet. FC Zurich have shown some interest and they too, may be arranging to have me there for trials so it's something I'm looking forward to," Sancho said on the weekend from the United States.
Sancho lined up for T&T in a 0-0 draw against the United States and his impressive showing has earned him another call to the national team which is preparing for the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The timberlog has dusted off his "journalistic hat"...over there...sandwiched between the "sarcastic comment" hat and the "pathetic attempt at humor" hat...and presents 10 Questions with Jim Taylor. Jim was kind enough to answer some questions about the 2002 Timbers season.

The Timbers announced today that they had re-signed key defender Gavin Wilkinson.

"Wilkinson is unquestionably one of the top defenders in the A-League,” said Bobby Howe, head coach of the Timbers. “He’s a great communicator with excellent leadership skills. He’s an extremely consistent player and we’re very pleased to have him back with the club this season.”

also this from the official press release...

Not only has Wilkinson impressed on the playing field since arriving in Portland, but he has proved an instrumental leader in the local soccer community as well. As the director of coaching for the newly formed Eastside United Football Club in East County (Clackamas, Gresham), Wilkinson has served as a catalyst for the complete transformation of the sport in that area. With his help, the club, which represents more than 3,000 youth players, is currently constructing a new playing field with the aid of several new sponsors that have rallied around Wilkinson’s involvement with the club.

“I have a picture of Gavin in my office with a stitched-up walnut-size gash over his left eye and several stitches in his chin,” said Timbers General Manager Jim Taylor. “That picture tells you all you need to know about Gavin Wilkinson. He gives you all he’s got, night in and night out.”

As the Timbers announced that Wilkinson would be back they also announced that Matt Chulis, another player who had an impressive year, has been released. No reason was given.

The Timbers schedule is set to be announced soon and season tickets are on sale now. Call (503) 553-5555 for ticket information.